The Note
by TectonicNom
Summary: In an apocalypse, you can never be too lucky but sometimes your luck just simply runs out. This story follows behind Cherry Ami, a 14 year old girl who had been surviving with a group. Note: 'Had been'. Not anymore. Read along as you follow in Cherry's struggle living, fighting, trusting, discovering; and possibly finding love. (Rated T for Gore)
1. Chapter 1

_Day 472:  
It's been one hell of a struggle in this war for who rules Earth. It seems that we're losing though. Those 'things' out there… There's hundreds. Maybe even thousands, probably millions! There's no way of winning this battle. So why are people even trying? They should know that… That these things just multiple like flies! One turns into Two, Two turns into Four, Four turns into Eight and Eight turns into Sixteen; and so on. I tried explaining this to everyone but no one would listen to me. But oh, I made them listen. Yeah I made them listen alright! Made them listen by putting a bullet into everyone's damn head. It was the only way you see. The only way they would find peace. Only way they would find their families. Even though it may seem dramatic, my mistakes shall be forgiven… They shall be forgiven and no one will need to suffer any more if they just listen to my words. So to whoever finds my corpse is the holder of this note; keep it with you, because maybe in times of need, it shall show you the way in darkness. Always keep one bullet in the chamber my friend because you may need it.  
Goodbye. [Page covered in blood splatter]_

**The Note.  
****Well this is the start of my new Walking Dead Fanfiction. It's based off of all the seasons (Hopefully not really quite sure on where it shall begin or end). This story follows behind my OC Character Cherry Ami but people just normally call her Ami because her parents were slightly hippies. (No hate intended!) So I hope you enjoy the story! Always feel free to PM me your ideas or write your ideas in the Reviews. I always read my PM's and Reviews! ^^  
****Disclaimer: I do NOT own The Walking Dead, I only own my OC Character that I have created for this story.  
Side-Note: Cherry starts out at the lovely age of 12 when the Zombie Outbreak begins (Now currently 14). Through-out the story she progresses to age. If at any point you get confused on how old she is in a certain chapter, feel free to ask in the Reviews or PM me with your question and I will be sure to notify you as soon as possible.****Chapter 1 – "Always look on the bright side."  
**"Wow. I can't believe this." Cherry looked around at the scene of the 'crime'.  
'This man was absolutely crazy!' She thought to herself as she stepped over the rotting corpses. They all seemed to have one to three bullet wounds to their heads. The smell… The smell in the room was almost unbearable to the point where it had Cherry gagging and needing to put on a bandana to keep at least _some _of the smell out of her airway. As Cherry searched the desks that were all around this abandoned office building; all she ever really found was paper, pens, paper-clips, some old cartages of dried out ink, pencils, and a few small staplers.  
'None of this is of any use to me.' Cherry was frustrated with the thought of another failed scavenger hunt. The only real thing that could have been of use to her was a dried, moldy sandwich that was in one of the drawers but of course; that would only be used to feed the animals back at the camp ground. She couldn't possibly take that old thing to bring back for the group. I mean it was utterly revolting, there was maggot's roaming across the old piece of food.  
Cherry made her way over the bodies and headed for the door but then remembered that if that man killed all these people… Then he must have a gun or at least some ammunition somewhere!  
A smile appeared on Cherry's face underneath the bandana as she leaped and ran over the brittle bodies to make her way over to the man's body that she took the note from.

Kneeling down to his body, she searched his jacket pockets; pant pockets; even resorted to rolling him so she could see if it was underneath his body but sadly, nothing was there. Only flies came out of the man's bullet wound in his head.  
"Disgusting." Cherry gagged and got up to her feet to get away from the strong putrid smell, "How could someone slip this low into insanity to the point where they would kill everyone in the room?"  
She mumbled to herself and figured to have been at least twenty to twenty-five people just lying on the ground. This once a lively room had more people/corpses in it then her group does with living people.  
Looking down at the man's body, Cherry couldn't help but feel sorry for this stranger. But there wasn't any time to be feeling sorry for a corpse, so Cherry just carried on with her way out of the building so she could return back to her group.  
'How disappointed will they be?' She thought to herself as she exited the building.

-  
After returning to her camp ground where she heard the three smallest children playing together, adults washing clothing, the men were out hunting of course but the eldest were always staying in their tents.  
"Oh there you are Cherry!" Cherry's cousin Tami waved to her as Cherry made her way over to her.  
"Hi Tami, how was everyone while I was gone?" Cherry questioned as she sat down beside her cousin and watched as she washed some of the children's clothing.  
"Everyone was alright. Edna and George of course had another fight."  
Edna and George were probably the oldest in this group, being around the age of 60 – 75, everyone thought of them as their replacement grandparents. Specially the three youngest; Kenny, Jeremy, and Sophie. They were a happily married couple; or at least that's what they told us at first. Turns out there marriage was arranged and they were not allowed to ever call it off; it's been this way for the past 45 – 50 years Edna says. Fighting, Ignoring for a few hours, Fighting again, then they would make-up for a day or two and then they would fight again.  
"Another?" Cherry raised an eyebrow at this statement.  
Tami nodded.  
"What was it about this time?"  
"Edna wanted to sleep and George wouldn't let her because she was taking up too much space on the bed that they share. It's such a stupid little argument and one of these days it's going to get one of them killed with all that yelling."  
Cherry laughed and started to help her cousin with washing the clothes, "Yeah no kidding. It's a miracle that they made it this far into an apocalypse specially with all the yelling."  
"Exactly my point!" Tami laughed while getting up off the ground and hanging a shirt up on a tree branch. Turning her head back over to talk with Cherry; the shirt was clipped onto the branch.  
"Hey Cherry pass me another shirt will you?"  
Cherry nodded and took the shirt she was washing out of the wooden bucket, ringing the shirt out so there wouldn't be as much water in the article of clothing; she gently threw the damp shirt over to her cousin.  
"Thanks kiddo." Tami smiled and clipped the shirt up on the branch.  
"Welcome and I'm going to see how our supplies are doing okay Tami?" Cherry got up off the ground, wiping her jeans off as Tami nodded.

While looking inside the army case box they found while searching a military out-cove, there wasn't much supplies left. Probably only a week's worth of food if some people skipped the already small portioned meals, three bottles of water left that needed to last everyone since the men had a suspicion of the water being contaminated with walker blood, and just a few small boxes of matches left. We hardly had ammunition mostly because a few nights back we had one of the couples that stayed in our camp before practically rob us of most of our supplies before they ran off and left our group.  
'Times are tough but we have supplies at least.'  
Cherry thought to herself while closing the box back up.

-  
The sun was dying in the distance as the moon was appearing over the tree line. Cherry was lighting the nightly fire they all had. After using a match and getting the wood to begin burning, Cherry got up away from the edging of the fire pit as the three youngest came running over.  
"Cherry! Cherry! Can we use your flashlight to go gather the berries Sophie found earlier today?"  
"What? No of course not. It's too dark out to go 'berry picking' kids. If you noticed the berries before then why didn't you go pick them during the day?" Cherry was beginning to question if the kids actually wanted to go berry picking or if they just wanted to go loli-gagging around in the forest at night.  
"Please Cherry! We won't be long! We promise!" The kids begged Cherry as she rolled her eyes and shook her head.  
"No means no. Now go back into your tents if you're not going to listen to the rules."  
The kids let out a frustrated growl towards Cherry as they ran off to their parent's tents.

-  
Everyone was sitting around the campfire, having some of the food that the men brought back from their scavenger hunt. Cherry almost felt useless because she hadn't found anything while she was looking on her own scavenger hunt.  
As Cherry took the last bite from her plate of corn and peas, she placed her plate down on the ground. Standing up to stretch and go to her tent; she waved goodnight to everyone and proceeded to walk over to the tent area. While walking, there was a rustling of the leaves and a small branch being snapped. Cherry didn't take any notice to it as this would happen on a daily basis while being directly on the edge of the forest. Unzipping the entrance of her tent; Cherry crawled inside and closed the entrance back up.  
While turning on her gas lantern for a moment so she could change into some pajama's for the night; a thought had crossed her mind.  
'Where did those guys find all those supplies? All those bottles of water, cans of food, even a working car! It's been a good year and a half and we're not that lucky…' Cherry sighed and turned her lantern off so she could lay down in the darkness of her tent.

Cherry was woken up by a series of gunshots and screams; along with some maniacal laughter after a large series of gunshots had gone off. Then it was silent. Cherry didn't bother turning her lantern on as she knew for a fact that the voices coming from outside her tent were not ones of her group members.  
They were talking about having sweet revenge over the people who had taken their supplies, along with burning the bodies; possibly even checking the tents but thankfully that idea was passed up.

Well this is the first chapter! What did you think? I tried really hard to improve on my writing skill because I know from before that it really wasn't the best to say the least... Anyways! Will update either later tonight or during the weekend when I have time ^^  
Side-note: If I get more than 10 reviews from any giving chapter (Over the course of the story) then I shall have a contest where one lucky reader/reviewer will get a chance to have their very own OC added into the story! ^^


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Surviving is Difficult at Times.  
**The group Cherry had been surviving with had been killed weeks ago. She was now just _barely _surviving. Living in whatever building she can find for the night and then proceed to leave that building and find a new one. She now knew not to trust a group because frankly she barely trusted her own group. Those men saying they 'found' those scavenged items. They had lied. They stole those items from another group nearby, and that's why Cherry's group was now just burned corpses.  
Every night Cherry closed her eyes, all she seen was her group's burned faces; their ash black skin, all of it practically peeling off. The kids were the first ones she seen that were burned. They were so small and fragile that they must have been the easiest to kill and burn. Next Cherry seen the woman all in one pile; then the elders; and then the men. The men look like they were tortured and possibly burned alive. Their facial features were different than the others. They had expressions on their faces of ones in pain, multiple stab wounds all along their body but the only thing that kept Cherry's mind at ease about the possibility of the men in the group being burned alive was that they all had bullet wounds in their foreheads.  
But then again, they could have been shot in the head after they were burned so they wouldn't turn into walkers.

Thankfully. Her luck was sky rocketing currently as Cherry made her way closer towards a large building in the distance. What that building was, Cherry truly didn't know but it seemed like the safest thing she has seen in a long while. It had fences to keep those walkers out, which was good enough for her.

As Cherry approached the building quietly, it had come to her attention that… This place, had become a home for what seemed to have been a group; because just in the slight distance up the hill of building, Cherry seen people, they were cooking something on a grill and damn did it smell good from where she was standing.

Nearing the fence, Cherry looked over at the pack of walkers that were hounding around the fence. Seemed to have only been one side of the fence though.  
'Interesting. Maybe… Maybe I can do something about this…' Cherry thought to herself as she moved her jacket away from her holstered knife.  
"Now how would I start this? Take out the back and re-direct them away from the fence? Could possibly work but that could also be suicide if I get trapped by the walkers…" Cherry mumbled to herself as she took a quiet moment to think to herself.

After the moment had passed over, Cherry decided that taking out the back walkers would be best mostly for the fact of that she seen the fence was tipping.  
"It's now or never…" Cherry sighed and took her knife out.  
Sneaking over to the walkers in the background of the group, one by one they were dropping like flies because of Cherry stabbing them in the back of the head.  
In the distance as Cherry was killing walkers, she heard some shouts and screams.  
"Someone's at the fence!" (Carl)  
"Daryl your closest! What do you see!?" (Glenn)  
"Some chick at the fence!" (Daryl)  
Cherry just shook her head at the comments as the walkers started to chase after her, so Cherry took off running at a not so fast pace.

Cherry directly headed over to the gate opening, taking a quick look back at the walkers stumbling after her; Cherry felt a pain shoot through her elbow. She screamed and reached her right hand over to her left elbow when something was caught in-between her fingers. Looking down at her arm; she seen a large arrow in-bedded directly into her elbow and probably in-bedded in the bone as well.  
Her eyes started to water as she sprinted over to the gate and hit the door that were covered in walker blood.  
"Let me in! Please! I beg of you!" She shouted and pleaded to them.  
The walkers were getting closer which was un-nerving to the extent where Cherry thought she was going to get eaten alive. That's when the gates opened just enough for her to slip in. Not letting a moment of safety to pass by her; Cherry squeezed through the gate and heard it close behind her.  
"Carl you shouldn't have done that! We don't know her!" (Rick)  
"But Daryl shot her! She needs to get at least some medical help!" (Carl)  
Cherry whimpered at the pain in her arm as she slowly made her way over inside the building gates.  
"Whoa! Whoa! Stay right there missy!"  
A Korean shouted at Cherry as she stopped walking and held up her right arm along with trying to move her left arm but failed miserably.  
"Who the hell are you!?"  
A redneck came storming over and pointed a crossbow at Cherry's face, almost at point blank range.  
"My name's Cherry but you can call me Ami. I'm alone and wanted to find a place where I could stay for the night! Please don't kill me." She pleaded as the tears came streaming down the sides of her face.

After they had brought Cherry inside the now known prison, they had Doctor S patch her elbow up but of course not after a long vigorous process of pulling a largely in-bedded arrow out of her arm which had indeed, been stuck in the bone and almost cut an major artery. Doctor S wrapped Cherry's arm up and made it so the bandaging formed a homemade sling.  
"Now don't put too much pressure on your arm until it's fully healed. Come see me before bed tonight so I can make sure it hasn't gotten infected dear."  
Cherry gave a warm smile then got up from the bunk bed, but standing up too quickly was probably a bad idea considering she hit the top of her head on the bars that held up the top bunk.  
"And please be more careful." Doctor S added onto his previous sentence as Cherry laughed and nodded.  
"Thank you Doctor S." Cherry smiled then walked out of the room while rubbing the back of her head.  
Cherry walked down the catwalk to get towards the stairs. Something kept playing in the back of her mind as she continued her walk.

_.:. "Well why can't I go with them on the runs, Tami!?" Cherry complained towards her cousin in an effort to join the men on some of the scavenging runs.  
"Because Cherry! I said no! It's too dangerous and do you really want to go out like your parents did!?" Tami shouted at Cherry as all the air in Cherry's lungs escaped from the memory of plainly watching her parents getting eaten by walkers while on a run. They had taken both Tami and Cherry out on a run with them to show where the 'goods' were out in the city; and as they explored a large warehouse, a group of walkers had come around the corner, taking Cherry's parents by surprise and ripping into their necks with their teeth.  
"You… You said you wouldn't ever bring that back up Tami! You promised!" Cherry shouted at her cousin with tears brimming at the edges of her eyes.  
"I'm sorry kiddo. I didn't mean to, it just slipped out." Tami sighed, reaching out for Cherry to join her in a hug; Cherry moved out of the way and ran off towards her tent. .:.  
_  
'Damn that's depressing.' Cherry thought to herself as she entered the cafeteria, "Hello?" She quietly called out but no one was in the room. Cherry walked through the cafeteria and down the halls.  
'I am just going insane? I mean I thought they would have me tied up or something!' She thought to herself as she came to a stop in the hallway from hearing a few voices.  
Entering the room on her left, Cherry walked over and opened the door slowly, "A library?" She mumbled to herself and walked slowly through the isle of books.  
"The children fastened their eyes upon their bit of candle and watched melt slowly and pitilessly away."  
Cherry walked closer until she was just barely looking over a small bookshelf where the small kids were crowded around a woman who was reading a book to them.  
"Saw the half inch of wick stand alone at last."  
Slowly but surely, Cherry made her way to sit where the kids are.  
"Saw the feeble flame rise and fall."  
The woman continued to read the book as Cherry stopped and remembered this story almost perfect. Cherry shook her head which drew some attention to her by some of the kids. The woman who was reading the book took notice to some of the kids stares at the strange teen in the background.  
"Who is that?" The woman asked as Cherry looked up and then stood up slowly to not further injure her arm.  
Cherry took in a deep breath of air and continued the small part of the rest of the story where the woman left off at, "Climb the thin tower of smoke. Linger at its top and moment and then…"  
"May I go take shift now?" Someone stood up as the woman nodded. The man walked out of the library.

The room was completely silent for a few moments until the woman got up off the small box she was sitting on and opened the top.  
"Now today we're going to be learning about knives. How to use them and how to be safe." She looked down at all the kids as Cherry raised an eyebrow.  
"Teaching kids to use weapons? Are you sure this is actually the right thing to do?" cherry spoke up at the woman gave her a small glare.  
"Yes, because they need to know this and who are you exactly before I get Rick or Daryl in here to escort you out."  
Cherry gave a warm smile to try and act friendly, "Cherry Ami, mad 'am."  
"Carol now are you staying for this lesson or are you leaving?" Carol questioned Cherry as she shook her head and took off walking out of the library.

Cherry had made her way outside and over to the edging of the first row of fences. She seen practically everyone killing walkers through the fence. She watched almost in a complete trance as walker after walker, each would fall down onto the ground; yet it would still seem like there was hundreds of walkers behind that fence. Cherry sighed and leaned forwards against the fence but yelped in pain from having her arm pressed against the fence. No one ever said that Cherry was the brightest survivor…

**lol Sorry this story needed at least some comedy at points. So now, I must truly thank three people for following the story meanwhile it was only on it's first chapter!  
****_So special thanks to... jjchickybabe / lunasky99 / speedy964  
_****You three made my day when I first published this story so thank you so much for the follows you three gave. ^^**


	3. Chapter 3 (Part 1)

**Chapter 3: Introductions.  
**Cherry was sitting back in the cafeteria, having a small snack that a friendly girl named Beth had given to her. Yes it was just simply an apple but it must have been the most food she's had in a week's time. While Cherry ate the apple, a young boy that Cherry somewhat recognized from the sheriff's hat on his head; he was there when she was shot with the arrow, but… 'What was his name again?'.  
"So who are you exactly?" The boy walked over to Cherry as she swallowed the piece of apple she had in her mouth.  
"What do you mean?" Cherry tilted her head to the side in a somewhat confused childish manner.  
The boy raised his gun up at Cherry as she placed the apple in her mouth to take another bite.  
"Who are you? Are you a spy from Woodbury or something? Did you get sent out by the Governor because if you did, I will not hesitate to shoot you right now!"  
Cherry shook her head and took a bite from the apple and covered her mouth so she would talk while chewing, "No you're mistaken. I said previously that I was alone and do you mind putting your gun down? That's really in all sense that polite to do to someone who's eating…" Swallowing the piece of food she had in her mouth, Cherry got up from her seat on one of the benches and grabbed the apple core off the table.  
"My name's Cherry Ami by the way." She gave a smile towards the boy as he looked somewhat shocked and slowly lowered his gun.  
"Carl Grimes…" He replied with as Cherry looked down at the apple core.  
"Do you have somewhere where I can throw this away? I saw you had a garden outside, compost is good for growing crops." Cherry looked back over at Carl as he nodded and guided her outside.

Throwing the apple gently into the pile of compost, Cherry looked at all the crops, "You have carrots?"  
Carl nodded as Cherry looked at time, then redirecting her view over to the pigs over in the pen.  
"And pigs?" She smiled and started to walk over to them.  
'Why is she so friendly to everything…' Carl thought to himself as he followed behind Cherry who was nearing the pig's pen.

Cherry was giggling while sitting in the pig's pen, the piglet's were truly something adorable to her considering the situation the world was in. They were something that just took away all her stress for the time being. Carl was on the outside of the pen, watching Cherry play with the piglets. In a way, he was somewhat jealous of her laid back behaviour. He wished he was that like, I'm pretty he wished it more than anything in the world currently.  
"Aw how cute are you!" Cherry smiled while wiping some of the mud off of the piglet's head, "Silly pig." Carl just shook his head and sighed.  
"You do realize that we only have them for food right?" Carl looked at Cherry as she turned her head and looked at him.  
"That's why I didn't name him. All I said was pig." She said then carefully moved the piglet's off her lap so she could get up but while moving the pig's, one of the more hyper-active piglet's came charging over and bumped their head into Cherry's arm.  
She screamed and nearly kicked the piglet away before it had run from her ear piercing scream.  
"That little! UGH!" She growled and got up out of the dirt while gently applying pressure onto her arm.  
Carl uncovered his ears from Cherry's screaming and looked at the bandaging on her arm.  
"Your bleeding again." He pointed to Cherry's arm as she hopped over the fence and looked at her arm in the sling.

-  
Cherry had gone to get her arm checked and stitched back up since the pig had torn the stitches when its head collided with her arm. But once she was all patched up and cleaned from her wound; Cherry headed down to the cafeteria where everyone was gathering in.  
"Carl I am sorry but she cannot stay here." Someone was whispering in the cafeteria as Cherry walked closer to hear more clearly.  
"But I even asked her, she isn't apart of Woodbury."  
Cherry poked her head inside the cafeteria and let out a awkward laugh, "Look, I know your specifically talking about me so if you want, I can leave. I mean it's really nothing. No harm no fowl." She smiled as sighs were passed around the room.  
'So if this prison is North East of Atlanta, then I should probably head towards the back of the prison to get farther away from the city and this place.' Cherry thought to herself as the prison group all talked together in a huddle. If Cherry really wanted to stay here at the prison, it would take a lot more convincing instead before meeting, them getting shot with an arrow…

The group was finally done talking as Cherry looked over at them.  
"I have three questions for you." Rick walked over to Cherry and looked down at her as Cherry stared back up at him.  
"Ask away." She replied.  
"How many walkers have you killed?" Rick gave her the first question.  
Cherry took a moment and started to think back over the two years that she's gone through with this apocalypse.  
"Probably about…" Cherry paused then stared off into space for a split second, "At least two hundred to three hundred." She replied with, almost seeming rather confident.  
Rick gave a 'Good Job' sort of head nod towards Cherry and asked her the second question, "How many people have you killed?"  
Cherry stood there, trying to think as far as she could remember with all the times she's needed to kill something; i.e. A Walker, Wild Animal… Another person…  
In the back of Cherry's mind, each kill she had done was playing back. She mentally counted…  
'...Thirty-Four…Thirty-Five…Thirty-Six…Thirty-Seve n… Thirty Seven people I've killed.'  
Cherry took in a deep breath of air and looked around the room.  
What if she told the truth? How would they react? But then again how would they react if she didn't tell them the truth? Would they throw her out? Torture her? Just kill her on the spot?  
"One person. I've killed one person sir." Cherry replied as she stared at Rick who raised his eyebrow in curiosity.  
"Why?" He asked her.

**OKAY OKAY! I have a good reason on why this chapter is so short!  
I'm currently...  
**...  
**MOVING!  
Yes indeed, I am moving out of this dorm that I have been housing for the past 2 weeks or so to move BACK to Canada until January!  
That is when I come back to Japan to work on my studies!  
Now how that must have sounded pretty dramatic in a way because it seems as though I won't be updating my story until then!  
But this is where you are mistaken my friend! I have a computer at home and thanks to science, there are such things called as USB's that I have saved my stories onto! So Friday I leave to the airport (At 1am D:) and get onto another 11hr flight back to Canada. Nyeh~...  
So hopefully I will have the second part to this chapter (Since it is two parts) by Saturday at night or Sunday sometime! Or sadly, it'll have to wait until Next Weekend when I get all settled back in at home.  
I think I might leave it up to you viewers though. I either get off my lazy bum after settling back into my home and finish the second part, or I take the time to rest and relax so I'll be all clear minded to write** again.  
~TectonicNom~

**_(Also I would like to say thanks to sugabee14 for the follow and favourite!)_**


	4. Chapter 3 (Part 2)

Cherry stood there… Blank minded… She couldn't think of a good excuse but in another sense, it was just as easy to think of an excuse. Confusing right? Imagine having to lie to save your life when you're under pressure. Cherry took in a deep breath and finally made up her mind on what she was going to say. She was going to tell them about the story of when everyone except the three youngest children were out on a large group run.

_"Why can't we go too Cherry?" Jeremy asked Cherry as she zipped up his winter coat. Cherry just continued to zip and button up his coat. "Cherry?" Sophie came walking over to her as Cherry looked at her.  
"What is it sweetie?" She asked as Sophie sniffled and took off her mitten. "I went into the forest, and I cut my hand on a thorn bush…" Sophie started to cry as Cherry looked at her hand and laughed.  
"It's just a few little pricks in your hand sweetheart. Just go take a nap in your tent and it'll be healed over when you wake up, okay?" Cherry patted Sophie on the head as she put her mitten on and ran to her tent._

After Cherry had sent both Kenny and Jeremy away to their tents, she sat down in a foldable chair that was seated just around the snowed over fire pit. It had been fairly quiet the entire day while the group was out, she remembers specifically where her group was going too. They were going into a town, believed to have been over-run with walkers. Someone had to stay back with the kids, so Cherry volunteered… Wasn't as much as 'volunteering' just more of as the group told her to stay here and watch over the kids. Cherry was just blankly staring at the new fallen snow that covered the grass around her, it also covered her in a shallow layer of snow as well. Just thinking back in Grade 2 where her teacher explained how no two snowflakes are alike. To her small simple brain back then, it was absolutely fascinating to hear this kinds of stuff. Cherry smiled at the memories as a lone tear streamed down her frozen cheek. Wiping away the tear; Cherry heard a crack of a branch almost right behind her. She quickly stood up and pulled her gun out of her pocket.  
"Whoa! Don't shoot!" The man held up his hands. He had a knife in one hand…  
"What do you think you were doing?!" She growled at the mysterious man. In all honesty, she thought that he was going to lie and say he was just stopping through but no… He was an honest man it seemed.  
"I… I was coming to kill you so I could take the kids… Please! Forgive my sins! I don't mean to cause any harm! Well I did but of course not now!" He pleaded but Cherry just snarled at him.  
"I think lying would have been better on your end partner." Moving her finger onto the trigger, the man took in notice and lunged for Cherry with the knife. As everything almost seemed to have been going in slow motion, Cherry pulled the trigger and watched as the man fell onto the snow covered ground. His blood splatter across the ground and even some on her clothes.  
This was the first time she ever needed to kill someone…

"…So yeah. He wanted to kill me and take the kids… I only shot him because I needed to protect them."  
Cherry crossed her arms and stared at the ground as the room filled with silence.  
'Not like it mattered… They're dead now anyways…' Cherry thought to herself which brought tears to the brim of her eyelids. Just then, she felt a hand being placed onto her shoulder; startled she looked up at Rick as he gave her a small head nod, "Welcome to the group."  
Cherry was shocked for a moment. 'Did he just say that I could join the group!?' She thought to herself then realized, 'Oh my gosh he did!' Cherry smiled and without warning, gave Rick a quick hug despite the pain in her arm from being shot.  
"Thank you." She whispered and let go of Rick with an even bigger smile on her face._  
_He gave a quick nod of the head and walked out of the cafeteria. Then Carl came walking over to Cherry.  
"Congratulations. Now, I'm pretty sure that no one has given you their names; so I guess I'll be the one to introduce everyone to you." Carl gave a quick chuckle as Cherry giggled.  
"Over in the back corner is Hershel, he's a Veterinarian; he's our second doctor besides Doctor S."  
Carl guided Cherry over to where some of the group members were standing close together in the back of the cafeteria.  
"These four are; Maggie, Glenn, Daryl, and the baby is my little sister Judith."  
Cherry smiled and slowly walked over to Maggie who was holding the small infant, "She's precious." Cherry whispered while looking at the baby girl.  
"I'd ask if you'd want to hold her but I can see with your arm, that it wouldn't be a smart idea." Maggie smiled as Cherry laughed, "Yeah probably wouldn't be." Cherry agreed with Maggie then was pulled back over by Carl.  
"Now there's a lot more members that are outside or that are in another cell block just for now, these are the main people you want to get to know." Carl guided Cherry into the cell block.  
"We all sleep in our own separate cells unless you do actually want to bunk with someone."  
Cherry smiled while looking around then came to realize; 'How did they manage to clear this whole place out? Wouldn't there have been walkers everywhere?'  
Cherry stopped walking and looked at the blood stains that were near the wall next to her. Carl had taken in notice that Cherry had stopped following; he looked back and seen her staring at the blood on the wall.  
"How did you manage to clean this place of walkers? Wouldn't you have had to kill like thousands?" Cherry questioned Carl as he walked over and stood beside her, "There was more of us…" Carl stared at the ground as Cherry looked over at him.  
"Oh." She didn't quite get what he meant until it actually hit her, "Wait… Oh my god… I am so sorry." Cherry's voice was filled with sympathy as she placed her hand on Carl's shoulder, "It's better to not think about these kinds of things. It does nothing good to your mental state." Carl looked Cherry in the eyes then agreed quietly with just a simple head nod.

After Carl had shown Cherry around the cell block and had guided her to her own cell room; the two sat in complete silence. Carl was sitting on the floor across from Cherry who was sitting on her bed. Both facing each other. Cherry was the one the break this awkward silence.  
"What happened? If you don't mind me asking?" She tilted her head in curiosity.  
"Hm?" Carl raised an eyebrow then realized what she meant, "Oh uh… Well, we've at least five members of our own group die or get killed…" Carl turned his head to the right as he looked out of the cell room.  
Cherry crossed her legs while sitting up on the bed, "Who?" She asked quietly just so it didn't seem like a forced upon questions for Carl. He sighed then looked at the ground, "T-Dog, Axel, Oscar, Merle… Lori…" With the name 'Lori', Carl got very quiet almost to the point where Cherry barely heard the name come out of his mouth.  
"That's a very pretty name." She whispered as Carl looked over at her.  
"Can we just move away from this please?" Carl gave Cherry a quick glare as she noticed the tears that were rolling down his cheeks. Cherry looked down at the floor and nodded her head, "Sorry." She lastly said as the room once again became engulfed in silence.

Seeming as though hours had passed when merely only ten minutes had passed on by; Carl this time broke the silence.  
"Why are you alone anyways? You were talking about those three kids and that you had your group out on a run. What happened to that?" Carl looked over at Cherry who was still staring at the floor but she gave just a simple reply, "There dead now."  
Carl was silent as Cherry continued to talk.  
"Some people came, they wanted… No not wanted… It was our own fault. I had just come back from a run on my own and there was some other guys in our group that went out on a run as well. They came back with so much stuff while I stuck out. Then later it turns out that they had stolen or raided some other camp… Those people; they came after us for revenge. I woke up and heard gunshots… So I just stayed in my tent, not making a sound until I knew for sure that they were gone." Cherry took a small pause as she sniffled slightly, "When I came out of my tent… Everyone's bodies had been burned… Some even tortured it seems and then they were burned… The worst part was seeing the three kids. Their small little fragile bodies… Burnt to a crisp." Cherry stopped talking as a few tear drops fell and landed on her lap.  
Carl was speechless. 'What the hell am I supposed to say now? I mean I can't just sit here like I wasn't listening or anything!' He thought to himself as he shuffled slowly over to Cherry.  
Cherry's black hair had been covering over her face so she was unable to see Carl moving closer but then again, Carl couldn't see that she was crying necessarily.  
Cherry was startled as she felt a hand being placed on her knee; so moving the hair away from her face, she looked down at Carl. His hand was on her knee…  
"Everything's going to be alright." He whispered to her as Cherry gave a small smile and practically felt her heart skip a beat.

After an hour or so, Cherry was beginning to get tired. Carl had left her cell room probably 25 minutes ago after the two talked for a while longer. She yawned then gently got up off her bed and closed her cell room door, she didn't completely trust everyone in this prison; specially that damn hillbilly that shot her… As Cherry walked back over to her bed, she reached with her free hand up onto the top bunk. Pulling the single pillow that was on there; down to her bottom bunk. At least now she can have her arm elevated. Sitting down on her bed; she rolled the extra pillow into like how you would roll a sleeping bag; while holding the pillow in place, Cherry gently laid down and rested her injured arm upon the pillow. It was better than nothing and that way during the night, if she wanted she could take the pillow from under her arm and use it for her head if need be.  
While staring up at the bottom of the top bunk above her head; Cherry's mind was racing with thoughts.  
'Was Lori someone close to Carl? Like family? Maybe just his friend? Or his Girlfriend?' Cherry stopped herself from thinking for a moment as she shook her head, 'No… It's doubtful. I wonder who the others were then as well?' She thought to herself before falling into a well needed somewhat coma sleep. Nothing would have been able to wake her up…  
That's the problem though.

**Well here's part 2~ So I decided that I needed to stop procrastinating and so I wrote this chapter. I'm not sure if it's too short, too long or if it moved through parts too quickly? I don't know but it's kinda cute in some parts :3 Little Cherry fallin' in-love with the Sheriff's Son. lol. Anyways, working on the next part now~ (Sorry for the cliff hanger!)**


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4  
**Cherry woke up in the morning with a small yawn escaping her lips as she opened her eyes. She smiled and gently sat up on the bed while looking around the cell room. Even though she had a nightmare; it was still the most sleep she has gotten in a long time and man did she need that sleep. Quietly getting up off the squeaky prison bed, Cherry walked over to the cell door and slid it open. Stretching her back out before she walked out of the cell; she remembered that last night she forgot to go see Doctor S. 'I should probably go do that now…' She thought to herself as she walked out of her cell room. While walking quietly into the cafeteria; trying to make barely any noise just in case some people were still sleeping, she grabbed an apple and took a bite out of it.

Heading into the hallways of the prison; there was some talking at the end of the hallway as Cherry neared the end of the hall. Cherry turned the corner and looked as seen bodies all lined up on the ground with blankets covered in blood on them.  
"What… What happened?!" Cherry must have startled Daryl, Rick and Glenn because they all pointed their weapons at her but dropped them as they noticed she wasn't a walker.  
"There was a walker attack in cell block D." Rick answered Cherry's question as she looked almost modified to see the bodies lying on the ground. She was practically frozen like a statue. 'It's just like at the camp… Bodies… Almost walkers… There not burned though. How could this have happened?' She thought to herself then snapped out of her statue like state.  
"Is Doctor S in there?" She asked as Rick nodded and let her go inside the cell block.  
There was blood everywhere you looked practically. 'How did I not wake up from all this?!' Cherry was starting to blame herself in a way for this. If she might have woken up then maybe there wouldn't have been as many bodies. As Cherry's guilt was starting to eat away at her on the inside; she finally found Doctor S in one of the cell rooms.  
"Sorry I wasn't able to see you last night Doctor S… I know you're busy so I can come back another time to have my arm checked." Cherry looked at Doctor S as he turned to her and motioned her to the bed.  
"It's okay. It's just a quick check up on your arm." He replied as Cherry walked over and sat down on the bed.

During the check-up, Cherry constantly thought that if she had just woken up… She would have been able to help. A tear had slowly rolled down onto her cheek as Doctor S wrapped her arm back up and looked at her.  
"Are you okay dear?" He asked her as she snapped out of her thoughts and looked at him. She tilted her head to the side slightly in confusion on what he was talking about, "You're crying." Doctor S said while wiping the tear away as looked down at her arm.  
"I was asleep the entire time this was happening… If I would have just woke up, I could have helped…"  
The guilt was really starting to eat away at her in such a short amount of time. Doctor S sighed and helped Cherry stand up off the bed, "You seemed like you needed sleep. I'm sure it's been rough for you so your body was just too exhausted to wake itself up. Don't blame yourself for any of this, it's not like you caused so just go back to your cell block and relax." Doctor S patted Cherry on the back as she sighed but nodded, "And your arm is healing very nicely. You should be able to take it out of the bandaging in a week or two."  
Cherry gave a small smile as she walked out of the cell room but once she couldn't see anyone; her smile faded away and a frown was casted upon her fragile face. While walking over to where she entered the cell block, Glenn, Rick and Daryl were all gone.

Cherry had made it outside; the sun was shining down the brightest it's probably been for the past few gloomy weeks. Making her way over to sit down in the eating area, she watched as people carried there dead loved ones out towards a small field where little wooden posts were sticking out of the ground. Cherry sat down on one of the benches and lowered her head down onto the table. Now Cherry wasn't much of a person for praying but damn, with all this happening around her… Cherry gently intertwined her left hand with her right hand that was resting inside of the sling. 'Uh… Hi there big guy… I know this is probably the first time I've ever really even talked to you but I just needed someone to talk to about all this… Maybe you could even give me support or something? It's like where ever I go; people are just constantly dying… I mean at my other group; everyone's dead. In this group people are dying.' Cherry thought to herself as she sighed and separated her hands apart from each other, "What am I even doing… This is ridiculous." She mumbled to herself as she turned her head to the right so her vision was facing the barbeque then gently laid her head back onto the table. 'Mom always said that people die. Even before the world went to hell… But now people's deaths are becoming more violent than before. Walkers either get you, or the people get you. It seems that murdering is almost a regular thing nowadays.' Cherry sighed while thinking to herself.

Cherry had closed her eyes while he was sitting outside. It was silent… Very peaceful. Then there was a rustling of rocks being crunched under someone's feet as it sounded like they were getting closer to where Cherry was sitting/relaxing. She didn't bother moving; nor did she really care in all honesty. She didn't care if it was a walker that was coming over to where she was sitting. In the back of her mind she believed it was until something touched the side of her neck.  
"Good you're still alive." It was Carl's voice as he moved his fingers away from Cherry's neck, "Why are you out here anyways?" He asked while sitting on to right side of her so that he could see her face but it was covered by her hair.  
Cherry just shrugged her shoulder and sighed, "Guess I just wanted to be outside…" She opened her eyes but only seen black because of her hair. Carl raised an eyebrow then gently ran his fingers through Cherry's hair so it would be out of her face, "Is that really why you came out here?" Carl had noticed that tears stained the bridge of her nose and the right side of her face. As Carl wiped away the tear marks off of Cherry's face; she just stared at him.  
"Yesterday you were pointing a gun at me, now you're comforting me?" Cherry raised an eyebrow as he moved his hand away. He was silent and didn't know how to respond to that question…

The silence had rolled over for a few moments as Cherry broke the silence like a karate sensei would to a wooden plank, "I feel guilty about what happened to everyone who died…" She simply said as Carl looked down at her.  
"Why?" He asked as she sat up and stared at the table.  
"Because, I was peacefully sleeping while people were losing their lives… Like back at my other group, I just hid in my tent like a coward and let them all die practically…" Tears were starting to surface once again to Cherry's eyes as Carl sighed and patted her back.  
"It's not your fault. Just… No more crying okay?" He whispered the last part to Cherry as she nodded and wiped the premature tears from her eyes. Carl moved his hand away from Cherry's back as he got up from his seat.  
"How's your arm feeling by the way?" Carl asked Cherry as she looked up at him.  
"It's good, Doctor S that it's healing good… I should be able to get out of the sling within a week or so." She gave a small smile as Carl patted her head and laughed slightly.  
"Hey Carl! Think you can help me with the crops!" Rick called over to Carl from the farm as both Carl and Cherry redirected their vision over to him.  
"Sure dad!" He shouted back and looked down at Cherry, "You going to be okay if I go?" He asked her as she nodded and watched as Carl ran off over towards his father.


	6. Character Profile (Cherry Ami)

**Okay before this begins, I must say that I was really really bored so I just decided to make Cherry's Character Sheet (I suppose that's what you would call it...) So anyways, this is just currently a filler for the time while I am writing the next chapter. ^^ Enjoy!**

**Name:** Cherry Ami  
**Other Names:** Ami, Cher-Bear, Cher (Pronounced as Share)  
**Theme Song:** Broken by Seether & Amy Lee from Evanscence.

** Personal Characteristics**

**Birth Date:** April 25th 1999  
**Birth Name:** Cherry Dawn Ami

**Primary Objective:** Have revenge upon the men that attacked her campground.  
**Secondary Objectives:** Experience everything she possibly can (I.E. Love, Hate, ect ect) because who knows when she could die.  
**Priorities:** Everyone else's safety. She doesn't care about her own.  
**Motivation:** The factor of that she's still alive. (That's what gives her motivation everyday)  
**Accomplishments:** Protecting the ones she cared about. (Well almost… Awkward…)  
**Greatest Achievement:** Saving Sophie from walkers. (2 vs. 7 practically but really 1 vs. 7 since Sophie didn't know how to fight)  
**Failures:** Not stepping up to help her parents when they were getting attacked. Not saving her group from getting slaughtered.  
**Biggest Failure:** Letting everyone around her practically get murdered while at the camp.  
**Self-Confidence:** She hardly has any self confidence in herself anymore.  
**Traumas:** Camp Situation and Parents dying.  
**Embarrassments:** She can be overly clumsy sometimes which is both embarrassing to her and annoying.  
**Worries:** Dying. (I.E. Getting eating by a walker or shot/tortured)  
**Soothers:** Someone running their fingers through her hair or hugs. (Hugs can help anyone :3)

**Regrets:** Staying in the tent. Not waking up at the prison to help.  
**Secrets:** How many people she's killed.  
**Soft Spots:** Comforting. She'll do anything to make someone feel better about a tough situation.  
**Cruel Streaks:** She goes out of her way to kill Walkers, People who threaten to hurt her friends/family.  
**Quirks:** How companionate she can be even when she needs compassion for herself. (She pushes her own feelings to the side and considers other people's feelings)  
**Dominant Hand:** Ambidextrous

** Mental Characteristics**

**IQ:** 122  
**Memory:** She remembers things fairly well.  
**Phobias:** Dying.  
**Pet Peeves:** When people don't take anyone else's feelings into consideration.

**Attitude:** She acts fairly closed off from everyone else most of the time. 

** Highs and Lows**

**Favorite Animal:** Cheetah  
**Favorite Color:** Blue  
**Favorite Food:** Apples!  
**Favorite Mythical Creature:** Gryphon  
**Favorite Number:** 16  
**Favorite Pastime:** Training  
**Favorite People:** Family  
**Favorite Quote:** 'It's amazing how someone can break your heart, but you still love them will all the little pieces.'  
**Favorite Season:** Spring

**Least Favorite Animal:**  
**Least Favorite Color:**  
**Least Favorite Food:** Dried out anything really.  
**Least Favorite Mythical Creature:** Harp  
**Least Favorite Number:** 13  
**Least Favorite Pastime:** Just idly sitting around  
**Least Favorite People:** Idiots…  
**Least Favorite Quote: **'I never apologize. I'm sorry it's just the way that I am.' (*facepalm*)  
**Least Favorite Season:** Summer (Too Hot), Winter (Too Cold)

** Social Characteristics**

**Communication:** She's straight forward with people, she won't sugar-coat anything.  
**Criminal Record:** Well… In an apocalypse, you really can't do anything wrong…  
**Dominance:** She's very dominant unless she feels as though she is vulnerable then she becomes very submissive.  
**Emotional Stability:** She breaks down very easily and feels as though with everything that happens, it's her fault.  
**Mannerisms:** Well-mannered.  
**Patience:** She has patience unless there in a stressful situation then her patience just flies out the window.

** Common**

**Emotional Status:** Depressed most of the time.  
**Mood:** Dreadful most of the time (Or kind of constantly in grief of people dying around her) 

** Reactions**

**Angry:** Teeth Grind Together and she curls her fists.  
**Anxious:** Her stomach feels like it's twirling around and her fidgets a lot.  
**Conflicted:** Brings her eyebrows close together like as if she were mad and just stares at either a wall, floor, or anything really while she thinks.  
**Criticized:** Looks offended (I.E. She gasps, covers her mouth, sometimes over-reacts lol)  
**Depressed:** She really just likes being alone. (She isolates herself from everyone around)  
**Excited:** Giggles and smiles a lot.  
**Frightened:** Freezes like a statue.  
**Guilty:** Same as Depressed.  
**Happy:** Smiles like crazy.  
**Humiliated:** Cheeks become flushed (Looks like she's blushing) with embarrassment.  
**Nervous:** Twirls her fingers.  
**Offended:** Same as Criticized.  
**Praised:** Smirks a lot.  
**Sad:** Once again… Same as Depressed and Guilty.  
**Stressed:** Somewhat like Anxious but less?

** Physical Characteristics**

**Species:** Human  
**Nationality:** American  
**Skin Color:** White, Almost pale.  
**Height:** 5'6ft (170 cm) (67 in)  
**Weight:** 104lbs (47 kg)  
**Scars:** Well, she didn't have anything from before until Daryl shot her, she she'll have a scar on her elbow. lol

**Shirt Size:** Small  
**Waist Size:** 2 in Jeans  
**Shoe Size:** 6 - 7  
**Face Shape:** Narrow and Slim  
**Hair Color:** Jet Black  
**Hair Length:** Down to her shoulder blades  
**Hair Type:** Straight  
**Hair Style:** Normally up in a hair tie but she broke that so now it's just hanging there.  
**Eye Color:** Ocean Blue


	7. Author's Note 1

**Hey guys, sorry but this is not a update! This is just a little update on what's happening with this story, okay? Don't get mad at me.  
So basically on Friday I have three tests and for a reward I get to go watch a boring movie... yay... (Sarcasm) but anyways! So currently, I am stuffing in all the information that I would need to know for all the end Unit Tests. Then on Saturday, I will be taking a trip into the U.S for a shopping spree with my family. Therefore I will not be able to update my story until probably late Sunday night or maybe not at all for that matter of this week in any sense. I'll try my best to get either an update out (Although it would be a fairly small update) or you guys will just have to be patient with me until next weekend when I know I am 100% completely free to devote my time into writing a new chapter for you people.**

ALSO! Thank you so much to the 3 reviews, we're 7 more closer to having a character contest! Well probably still 10 more like before since the 3 reviews were by guests... So! Reviews are greatly welcomed and even encouraged if you ever so wish to have your very own character put into the story and possibly put into a pairing with one of the characters if you so wish ;) But if you do get your character put into the story, you will have to fill out a character sheet that I have done for Cherry herself just so I know what your character is like. :)

Side-Note: Thank you to ampcje for the Favorite and Follow! :D I love all my viewers :3 Y'all make me happy.  
(That sounded really cheesy... Oh well... I like cheese :D)  
Anyways, I must be getting back to my Science Lab Report! It's truly troubling me since how am I supposed to put into great detail that the test beaker exploding from the acid? lol Well it's going to be interesting.  
-**_Tectonic_**_**Nom**_


	8. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Coming down with the Sickness.  
**It's been a few days since the outbreak in the cell block happened, and people are now starting to get sick. Cherry managed to convince Hershel that she could be of use with her old medical skills that her parents and cousin taught her at the old camp. Cherry was currently helping an elderly man get to a free cell block. Even though she had her injured arm holding her back in some cases of helping others, she was probably twice as fast as Hershel when it came to patients.  
"Cherry?" Someone called from the bottom floor of the cell block, "Are you in here?"  
"Yeah! I'm up on the second floor! Give me a minute!" She shouted back while helping the elder get into a cell room. The man groaned from moving so much and he was beginning to cough more as Cherry assisted him with sitting down.  
"Let me take a look at you for a moment." Cherry adjusted the bandana around her face; then reaching for a tongue suppresser, she told the man to say 'Aw'. He did; he opened his mouth right up as Cherry held his tongue down and looked at his throat. From the previous time she had checked this poor man, he throat was getting a nasty coating of blood. While taking the suppresser out of his mouth, there was a string of saliva mixed with blood connected to the wooden stick and to the man's tongue. Shaking the string saliva off, she broke the stick and threw it into the small garbage can that was against the wall behind her.  
"Okay, now just rest. I'll come to check up on your every hour." Cherry patted the man on his shoulder with a faint smile underneath her bandana. After she exited the cell room; she slid the cell door shut and proceeded to walk down the stairs back to where the entrance was.  
"Ah there you are Cherry." Hershel walked slowly over to her as she scratched the back of her head.  
"Yep. What you need Hershel?" She asked, curious on why he was in the cell block; it was obviously her turn to take care of the sick today.  
"Carl's outside, he asked if you would come out to see him. I'll let you have a rest for the day Cherry. You've been working non-stop with everyone… When was the last time you slept?" Hershel asked while tilting Cherry's chin up and bringing the lantern up to her eyes so he could see her eyes clearly.  
"Not for at least a day and a half but it's not like your any different Hershel." Cherry squinted from the bright light of the lantern.  
"I've had my rest. Now, take a day off dear." Hershel smiled underneath his bandana and patted Cherry on her right shoulder, "But visit Carl before." He let out a small chuckle as Cherry nodded and walked out of the cell block.

As Cherry exited the prison and made it into the courtyard; she seen he was looking at the empty pig pen. She walked over to Carl while taking her bandana off her face.  
"Hey Carl!" She shouted over to him as he turned around and waved, "Hershel told me you wanted to see me?" She questioned as she was standing about Ten feet away from him. It was her wishes; she knew this sickness was contagious so she didn't want to take a risk with getting Carl sick.  
"Yeah I did. I'm worried about how much time you're spending in that cell block." He stated while crossing his arms, concern washed over his facial expression. Cherry rolled her eyes and placed her hand on her hip.  
"Carl… Doctor S is sick! And Hershel is only man." She sighed and looked down at her arm in the sling, in some sense; Cherry was worried about being in the ward so much that her wound could possibly get infected somehow.  
"But we need as many people healthy as possible! We can't have people just volunteering to get sick to help those who are dying!" Carl snapped at her. Tension between them had been tight since the other day when Carl seen Cherry going into the cell block.

_"Cherry? Where do you think you're going?!" Carl shouted while running after Cherry who was just about the enter the cell block. Cherry turned back and shook her head.  
"Carl, keep your distance." She pulled her bandana off her face so it would be more polite to talk to someone instead of having your mouth covered.  
"Why are you going in there? You're going to get sick if you go in there!" Carl pointed at the window to show one of the sick people coughing up some blood.  
"Carl! People are dying! I'm not just going to stand around and let that happen! I mean Glenn's in there! Don't you want him to get better?" Cherry clinched her fist slightly from continuously hearing everyone in the group talking about how everyone that cell block is just a goner.  
"Of course I do but you'll get sick!" He shouted at her as Cherry growled in response.  
"So what! If it's just Hershel in there then in what use am I? I have an injured arm for a while longer so I can't go on runs to get supplies so this is the best I can do Carl." She sighed as he groaned and stormed off but not before shouting, "Fine! Whatever but if you get sick it's your own damn funeral!"_

The two were walking along-side the fence, of course keeping distance. It was really silent. Never had they been _this _quiet before. Cherry took in a deep breath of air and looked down at the ground while walking, "It's more difficult being in there than you think Carl." He looked over at Cherry with a look of confusion across his face.  
"What are you talking about?" He responded, taking a step closer to Cherry so it would be easier to hear her.  
"In that cell block… It's already difficult with keeping yourself from getting sick but also just watching these poor people slowly dying and then turning… It's troubling to watch. Hershel's been talking about burning the bodies, like the ones of whom have died." Cherry directed her vision to her arm and sighed, "Worst part is that I can barely do anything. I just sit there, and watch these people die while the others are out trying to find supplies locally. I'm quick and quiet when it comes to runs but I can't do them currently…" Carl was speechless and he continuously inched his way closer to Cherry.

The two had made a full walk around the fences when Cherry finally realized that Carl was walking right beside her. Her eyes widened as she jumped back and covered her mouth with her bandana, "Carl! I said keep your distance! I don't want to get you sick!" She shouted at him while continuing to back up away from him.  
"But you're not sick tho-" Carl was cut off by Cherry shouting at him, "I just said keep your distance okay! Even though I'm not sick right now, it might only be a matter of time before it affects me…" She sighed then tried moving her injured arm. Cherry really did want to go on the runs with everyone. But who was she kidding? She wouldn't probably be of any good use with even her arm out of the sling…

The moon had come over the horizon as Cherry was sitting in her cell room. Staring at the wall in-front of her, Cherry took the thermometer out of her mouth. Her temperature was at 100 degrees.  
"Oh no… No no no…" Cherry pleaded with herself as she denied the fact of her high temperature and checked it once again. Waiting a few moments. Then taking it back out to check again.  
**100.1 Degrees  
**The thermometer showed that she indeed in-fact have a slight fever and it was rising ever so slightly. Cherry started to panic on the inside. "Okay, I need to keep a far distance. Stay away from everyone that I know for sure is healthy. Like Daryl, Michonne, Rick, Carl, possibly Hershel but he's probably getting sick like me. I need to stay away from Maggie, Beth and baby Judith." Cherry dipped her head down towards the floor as flashes of bodies went through her mind. Blood streaming down from all those people's eyes and bloody foam coming down from people mouths…  
'Will I become one of them? Am I just going… to just suffocate?' Cherry thought to herself at her impending death awaiting her eventually.

**Sorry for the small-ish chapter. I've been busy the past weekend with a few things dealing with school and things of that nature. So that's kept me away from the computer and home in general lol. But since last night, I slipped upon a damn small puddle of water in the bathroom after taking a shower, I may have broken or just simply dislocated my left kneecap. Currently I am bed-ridden so I had time since 6am to now (1pm) to write out this chapter while I continued to drift in-and-out of consciousness because I am constantly taking painkillers which so happen to make me extremely tired. Anyways! I seen I had two new reviews and a new follower for the story so I would just like to write a little thing to each of you because the two reviews had questions that I feel are somewhat necessary to respond to.**

MaxTheAlien - **_Yes Cherry's camp/group were all killed when the bandits invaded the campgrounds. (Thank you for the compliment about my story btw :3) In the second chapter you find out that they were all killed but that was awhile back so I feel as though I can say for sure that they're dead. And about the signing up issue, I have no idea what to say considering I haven't run across that issue but it seems as though you may have gotten it working since you were able to write a review. (In all honesty I'm still new to this website so I may be wrong about a few things)_**

**Guest - ****_Thanks for the compliment! ^^ And I skipped mostly because I just felt it was needed because there really wasn't much I could write besides Cherry helping with the sick people. But who knows maybe if it gets requested more, I might just add that chapter in as like Chapter (whatever number) .5 and just say in that chapter on what happened during that time skip._**

**Mo-jjhnson - ****_Thank you so much for the new follow! ^^ Really appreciated it! :D_**

**Now to a serious note. 9 more reviews needed for the OC character contest. ;D (Btw you can comment more than once) So once the reviews are over 10 then I shall use a random number generator, give each reviewer a number and see who wins. ^^ Yay~**

(Btw sorry for the slight cliffhanger. D: ) 


	9. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6:  
**It's been a few hours since Cherry had checked her temperature, she had been lying in her bed; staring up at the bottom of the top bunk bed. 'How could I have been so careless?' She thought to herself while sitting up. Sweat was beating off of her forehead; meanwhile the prison was fairly cold. 'Is it already starting to take affect?' She wondered while wiping the sweat off her brow. As Cherry slipped her feet over the side of the bed, she realized how fed up she was with her arm being practically bed-ridden in the sling. Unbuckling the strap that was around her neck that gave the sling the most support; as soon as the strap was undone; Cherry's arm fell down onto her lap, sending a small surge of pain through her entire body. Clenching her teeth together in order to take her mind off of the pain, she made a quick dash to undo the strap around her slender stomach. Cherry fumbled for a moment but was able to undo the strap and completely remove the sling. As she took in a deep breathe in, Cherry lifted her injured arm up and quickly extended her arm out like as if she were to reach for something; just to get the pain over and done with. Being slow and cautious was not Cherry's thing, she would much rather be careless but fast. The was intense as tears sneakily fell from her eyes and down onto her dirty shirt but she needed to get over the pain quickly if she wanted to prove to everyone that she was something worth keeping around in a group. Cherry continued to flew, move and stretch her arm in various ways to get it properly moving again, even though it was painful, her arm was fully functional.  
"I need to keep everyone safe…" Cherry whispered as she got up from her bed and grabbed her bag, "These people _need _to stay safe." While swinging her bag over her back, there was a silent step in the hallway. 'It's just one of the guys…' She thought herself while turning around and heading for the cell door. Just before opening her cell door, Cherry knew the group would suspect that she was sick if they noticed her sweating in a cold environment. Placing her bag down onto the floor for a quick moment, she snatched a bandana out of one of the smaller pockets. Folding it so it would be 1inch thick; as Cherry tied her hair back with an elastic band she found lying around, she was able to wrap the bandana around her forehead so that it looked at least kind of natural and so that it didn't look like she was hiding something. After tying the bandana in a double knot under her pony tail; she picked her bag up and just simply carried it.

The footsteps got louder and closer while Cherry was opening her cell door. Looking out into the hall of the prison block, she saw Daryl walking towards the exit when he noticed her and stopped. "Looks like someone recovers quickly; you ready to be useful?" Daryl adjusted his crossbow on his shoulder as Cherry gave a small laugh while looking at the exit, then slowly back over to Daryl, "Sounds like you had doubts in me, Daryl." He gave a small chuckle at Cherry's response.  
"Of course I did. You able to go on a run?" He asked her as Cherry nodded, "Damn right I am." She replied while following behind Daryl on his way out of the cell block.

Just as they were about to get outside, Cherry wondered something, "Who else is coming on this run?" She asked while Daryl continued to walk ahead of her.  
"Well the day is almost over so it's just going to be you and I. Tomorrow in the morning we're going to a college to see if we can find some medication." Daryl replied with as Cherry fell silent.  
As they exited the doors out into the courtyard of the prison, Cherry continued to follow behind but now she wasn't completely focusing on the wings on Daryl's vest; she was able to look around. See the walkers on the fence; Rick and Carl tending to the farm. "What car we taking?" Cherry asked as Daryl pointed over to the motorcycle, "Really…" She raised a brow, "We're taking the loudest automobile out on a run? Where there could be hundreds of walkers… That are attracted to sound!" Cherry's voice progressively got louder with every little bit of her small rant, "And besides! You have a bloody crossbow! Motorcycle's are loud! Crossbow's are quiet!" She sighed while hearing Daryl laugh, "You make absolutely no sense what-so-ever Daryl. You're extremely quiet then obnoxiously loud in another sense." Cherry crossed her arms as they neared the motorcycle.  
"Quit your ranting and empty your bag." Daryl said while kicking away the kick-stand that was holding up the bike. Cherry couldn't remove the contents from her bag… They were hers. "Can't you just give me an extra bag to use?" Daryl gave a quick glare to Cherry before ripping the bag out of her hands and opening it. "Hey!" Cherry shouted while trying to reach for her bag, "Give it back!" Cherry's arms were just out of reach as Daryl tipped the bag over so that all the contents spilled out onto the gravel below.  
Her bag was completely empty now as Cherry ran over to the other side of the bike to pick everything back up. There laying on the gravel was some ammo she had stored away from her previous camp, a handgun, few bandana's that she had gathered from some buildings that she stayed in, various types of painkillers that were pretty much expired, a few ripped shirts, a pair of jeans that were stained with mud and walker blood, a few bra's, and right on the very top of the entire pile… Pair of underwear with a small little teddy bear on the front of it.  
"Well isn't that just precious." Daryl chuckle while picking the underwear up from the pile. "Give it!" Cherry shouted while trying to grab the article of clothing from him. Daryl just quickly put the kick-stand back in place as he quickly ran over to where Carl and Rick were in the garden.  
"Daryl!" Cherry shouted while running after him but even at her fasted running speed, she couldn't catch up to him that easily.  
"Look what I found fella's!" Daryl chuckled as he opened the pair of underwear up to the two guys. Rick looked for a quick glance but then just continued to work on the farm as Carl was locked into a complete trance. Cherry growled and jumped onto Daryl's back, despite there being a crossbow on his back, she was still able to latch on. "Give it now or I will take you down Daryl!" Cherry shouted while trying to reach with her one arm over Daryl's shoulder to grab the underwear. All he did was act like she was just a piece of paper, but Daryl did have somewhat of a heart after teasing the poor girl to no ends within the time span of five minutes. "Fine, here." Daryl mumbled as he tossed back the underwear to Cherry; who right away caught it and hid it under her shirt. Carl shook his head as his face now looked like he had been in the sun too long. "Eh Carl, pass me the spade." Rick asked his son as he complied and gave him the gardening tool. Cherry was completely red faced as both her and Daryl walked back to the motorcycle. "I hate you, you know that?" Cherry growled at Daryl as he laughed.  
"Who doesn't?" He replied with as he kicked the kick-stand once again and moved the motorcycle towards the fence, "Put your things somewhere and just bring the bag!" Daryl shouted back at Cherry while she picked up the contents that Daryl had previously spilled onto the gravel. "Jerk." Cherry mumbled to herself as she moved all her belonging underneath a wooden palette. Running back over to Daryl as he getting onto his motorcycle, she managed to jump onto the back with the motorcycle while Rick and Carl were running over to open the gates. "Ready girly?" Daryl asked as Cherry groaned, "Who you calling girly, Darley?" Cherry laughed at the girly name she just called him as she heard Daryl snarled back at her.

Cherry and Daryl were just leaving the gates as Cherry looked back to see Carl and Rick closing them behind the two. Tightening her grip on Daryl's vest as the motorcycle roared down the dirt path, she faced forward but would only get a face full of Daryl's hair. Oddly enough, the motorcycle was quite soothing as Cherry's eyes slowly started to close.

_Cherry and her group were sitting by the nightly fire as they did every night. They always happen to talk about that day's run, what people seen or heard, maybe even how someone died on the occasion; but tonight it was just silent. Cherry had taken into notice on how fidgety the kids were when things were quiet. So Cherry took in a deep breath and let it out into a small yet relaxing sigh; then she started singing.  
"~Take me out to the ball game, Take me out with the crowd.  
Buy me some peanuts and cracker jacks, I don't care if I never get back.  
For its root, root, root for the home team.  
If they don't win it's a shame.  
For its 1 – 2 – 3 strikes you're out!  
At the old ball game!~"  
Everyone at the camp fire smiled over at Cherry as she looked at the kids who were giggling, "Song another!" They cheered as Cherry smiled. "Well what would you like for me to sing?" She asked as the three children huddled together. Sophie was the first to turn around as she looked over at Cherry, "Sing I'm a little tea pot!" She giggled as the two boys rolled their eyes. "Alright." Cherry smiled while getting up from her seat.  
"~I'm a little tea pot, short and stout.  
Here is my handle," Cherry moved her arm so that it would come down to her hip, just like a handle, "Here is my spout." Moving the opposite arm, Cherry bent her elbow inwards to show as though it were an elephant trunk, when really it was to represent a spout of a tea pot,  
"When I get all steamed up, here me shout.  
Tip!" Cherry titled over slightly so that her 'spout' arm was towards the ground,  
"Me over and pour me out!~" Sophie giggled as Cherry sat back down in her seat. Once she was sat down Sophie crawled over and sat down on Cherry's lap. Sophie's mother smiled and looked at Cherry, "Can you sing, You are my Sunshine, dear?" Cherry nodded and cradled Sophie like a baby on her lap.  
"~You are my Sunshine, my only Sunshine.  
You make me happy, when skies are gray.  
You'll never know dear, how much I love you.  
Please don't take my Sunshine away…~" Cherry gave a small smile down to Sophie as Sophie cuddled up to her._

"Hey wake up." Daryl pushed on Cherry's shoulder as she sat there on the motorcycle; sleeping, "We're here. You're going to have to wake up or else I'm leaving you here as walker bait girly."  
Cherry was slowly starting to wake up as she reached her hand up and rubbed her eyes, "We're here already?" She asked while looking over at Daryl as he nodded. "You ready or what?" Daryl asked while helping the still sleepy Cherry off of the motorcycle.  
"Hell yeah I am." Cherry smirked while grabbing her bag off the bike.

**Lmao okay you have no idea how fun it was the write the Daryl teasing Cherry thing xD I got the idea from actually a personal experience of mine a few years back which I will gladly... NOT share. Sorry :P Anyways, home once again and so I am taking the opportunity to write as much and as many chapters as I can for this story! :D **


	10. Chapter 7 (Part 1)

**Chapter 7: Part 1  
**Cherry and Daryl were just about to enter into small local grocery store as Daryl swung his arm out in-front of Cherry before she could step inside. "Whoa there girly, just give me a moment." Daryl walked over to the window of the store and knocked upon the glass, "Just wait for it."  
Cherry rolled her eyes along with adding to her attitude, a small shake of the head. Daryl looked over at Cherry and pointed to her pocket, "You got yourself a gun?" He asked as Cherry looked down and felt her pockets. "Does it really _look _like I have a gun with me Daryl… Of course I don't because someone was being a Sir. Rush-A-Lot back at the prison… Where my _gun_ is!" Cherry narrowed her eyes as the two were caught up in a heated glaring contest.  
"You want to run your mouth by me again girly?" Daryl growled at her as Cherry walked closer to him. "Yeah I do hillbilly, and the name's Cherry, Darley." Cherry mocked Daryl just as he was about to what seemed like hit or punch Cherry, a walker came slamming its face into the window pane.  
"Looks like we got some company inside, girly." Daryl jokingly said as she crossed her arms but followed behind Daryl as the two neared the front entrance.

As they entered the store, it seemed rather empty. Other than the one walker that was at the glass window; the store was vacant. "Alright, you go look for food and I'll get medicine since I actually know what to get." Cherry threw the order at Daryl as he cooperated for once and went down the food isle. The grocery store was nearly empty, dust was pilling everywhere, shelves were knocked down, bags of crumbled; stale chips were everywhere, even money just lying all across the ground. "Hm." Cherry tilted her head while picking up some of the money off the ground. There were all sorts of bills lying around the cash register booths. Picking up the money, Cherry collected probably a total of $58.40. Grabbing two Twenty dollar bills, one Five dollar bill, one One dollar bill, one five cents coin, one ten cents coin and a twenty-five cents coin. "Maybe when Judith is older she'll want to know what money used to be like." Cherry smiled to herself as she tucked the money away in her back pocket, "Now for medicine." Cherry jumped over the cash register booth for quicker access towards the isles but as her feet landed on the ground, Cherry lost her sense of balance and fell onto the ground. "What the?" Cherry looked down at her feet to where she seen a dead walker's corpse. Decaying along with a pressed in stomach in which the guts have spilled out of. "Oh god!" She shouted and rolled onto her back while scurrying away from the lifeless corpse. "What's wrong?!" Cherry heard Daryl shout as she was catching her breathe while lying on the ground. Her muscles completely tense as Daryl came up from behind Cherry and hoisted her up with one arm while aiming at the corpse with his crossbow in his spare hand. "N-Nothing… It was just… I scared myself is all…" Cherry sighed while looking at the ground as Daryl rested her back onto her feet. "Don't screaming unless there's a real emergency!" Daryl shouted at Cherry as she nodded her head, "Sorry…" She replied as Daryl groaned and walked back to the isle he was in. Letting out a heavy sigh; Cherry wrapping her arms around herself in a comforting way as she proceeded to make her way over to the pharmacy section. As Cherry walked down the aisle, she passed by all sorts of things; Stapler's, Paper, Pens, Pencils, Crayon's, Staples, Sticky-notes; everything you could need in an office. Stopping dead in the middle of the isle, Cherry snatched a piece of paper that was scattered all on the floor, then ripping a pen out of a cardboard packet; she laid the paper down onto one of the shelves that was completely empty. She then began to write;  
_My name is Cherry Ami, I'm fourteen years old and I'm a survivor. You're probably reading this because I've done one of three things.  
1) I've been eaten and you have either found my eaten corpse and/or you have killed me after I turned.  
2) I lost this note and you are now in possession of my note.  
3) I've been kidnapped and someone who had searched my pockets has found this note.  
So dealing with the three situations, I will write a message for each of the situations._

1) Thank you for putting me out of my misery, but if I'm dead; you better get out of area because either if I'm with a group (They'll find you) or there are Walkers nearby. (They'll eat you) Run and never look back my friend.

2) You're in possession of my belonging. Cool, but please take care of it. I take pride in my own things and of course I take pride in other people's things; just be kind and keep this with you. Maybe write down your own note to keep with you? Here's a little thought, write down your feelings under this line. Okay?

3) Scumbag, why would you take hostage a little innocent girl?! You should be ashamed. (And should probably let me go… Please and thank you)

Sorry for this note being such a crazy mess. I really haven't written anything in a while. Please, keep your loved ones close and your enemies closer so you can push them into a herd of walkers when need be. Seriously though, in a note I had taken from a man… He talked about keeping one bullet in the chamber at all costs. I've been sticking by his words and I think everyone should. It's insane to think that one second you could be living on-top of the world and in the next, you get your throat chewed out by a walker; it'll just be easier to put yourself out of misery. Good luck my friend.  
-Cherry Ami. Survivor.

**Sorry this is such a short chapter... I just wanted to make it into a two part since currently... I am so tired beyond belief. Omg. I'm still trying my best to get writing though so don't worry! Also, who else is excited for the Mid-Season Finale of The Walking Dead? I know I am. I was completely getting bored of the Govern development episodes tbh... Anyways! I shall be getting back to writing then probably take a nice long nap, in which I will sleep and probably fall off my bed... Haha... KByeee! ^^ _Also, thank you to BLUENIGHT23 for the Favorite and Follow :D_**


	11. Chapter 7 (Part 2)

**Chapter 7: Part 2**

Cherry tucked the piece of paper into her pocket as she made her way over into the pharmacy department. The shelves were pretty well cleaned out. Only things that Cherry could see were laxatives, a few children's aid Advil's, Bottles of Vitamins, and Heartburn relief. Shaking her head and letting out a sigh, Cherry reached up and took all the bottles of Vitamins into her backpack, just a few packets of laxatives and taking the entire rack of children's Advil. Cherry zipped her bag up and swung it onto her shoulder, from the sudden motion; her head felt like it was spinning. Stumbling to the side, Cherry tried grabbing onto a shelf to stop her fall, but ultimately failing as Cherry's hand slipped off the shelf causing her to crash onto the ground with the sound of the pills in the bottles shaking about. Cherry's head was pounding with pain as her eye sight starting slipping into tunnel vision; slowly she raised her hand up to look at it. Seeing at least three duplicates of her hand swirling around each other, "Wah…" She breathed out as her arm became weak and fell onto the ground; slowly Cherry started to shut her eyes but with the last thing she saw was Daryl leaning over her, seemed like he was shouting for her to wake up?

-  
"…Is she alive?" "I don't know, I just found her laying on the ground when we were on our run." Cherry's senses were tuning back in as she heard Hershel and Daryl talking to one another, "Mngh…" She groaned from the pain in her head, "Where… Where am I?" She asked, still in a semi-unconscious state. Hershel looked down at Cherry as he took the thermometer out of her mouth.  
**102.3 Degrees  
**The thermometer read as Hershel gave a sigh, "Looks like I have a new patient." He stated as Daryl lifted his bandana over his mouth, "Cherry sweetie, you're in your cell room. You're going to have to stay here for quite some time." Hershel said to Cherry as the sweat was beading off of her forehead, her breathing was turning into wheezes as it became difficult to breathe. Hershel's words came through Cherry's ears like they were muffled by a mattress but she could still understand what he was saying, just barely though. "N… No… I…" Cherry took in a breath of air but started coughing, facing the wall so she wouldn't cough towards Hershel or Daryl, "I can't… Stay in here… I need to be in..." Cherry was struggling to breathe so she took a second to catch her breath, "Cell block D…" She stated while turning to look up at Hershel. "You'll only get worse in there." Hershel stated as Daryl patted him on the back.  
"Hersh, she's sick. She needs to be put in there." Daryl stated as Hershel looked at him, "She's just like the others, death-row practically." He spoke once again as Cherry's eyes widened from hearing 'death-row'. She propped herself up on her elbows, slowly but surely she started to sit up. Daryl backed out of the room as he didn't want to get infected by some fragile little twig. Hershel tried laying Cherry down but she pushed his hand away, "Hershel… I'm going into… Cell block D." She stated while getting up off the bed she was sitting on, stumbling over to the exit of the cell room, Hershel was walking right behind her with his arms held out just in-case she were to collapse. Cherry's tunnel vision was gone thankfully but everything was blurry and duplicating its self; placing a hand on her forehead, Cherry felt sick to her stomach as she continued to walk. The bandana covering her mouth in fear of spreading the virus to the healthy survivors, while entering into the cafeteria; Cherry's legs started to become weak, shaking and buckling underneath her small weight. "Cherry sit down!" Hershel demanded as Cherry looked back at him, shaking her head slightly to let Hershel know that she needs to get to Cell block D. Taking another step forward, Cherry's right leg gave out as she fell onto her stomach. Hershel kneeled down to her as he tried helping her up, but she started having a coughing fit. Feeling her throat burning with every cough; Cherry's eyes began to water with lack of oxygen going into her now sick and dying lungs. Her bandana ever so slightly with every cough, getting covered in droplets of blood; Hershel tried sitting her up so that Cherry would be able to breathe better but he himself was too weak to roll her onto her back and able to sit her up. The loud coughing alarmed everyone in Cell Block C; as Maggie, Daryl, Rick and Carl came rushing over to see what was going on. As the four entered the cafeteria, they had a clear view of Cherry laying on the ground, blood staining through her bandana, her eyes watering from needing air, and the raspy cough that continued to escape her throat. "What happened?!" Rick shouted while covering his mouth with his shirt as Maggie covered her mouth with her bandana, rushing over she rolled Cherry onto her back, lifting her up and resting her on her lap while sitting up; she looked over at Hershel. "What happened to her daddy?" Maggie asked as Hershel placed a hand on Cherry's forehead. Her temperature was rising; the sweat was rolling off of Cherry's forehead and onto her lap as her head hung low towards her lap. "She's gotten herself infected." Hershel stated as Maggie sighed. Carl was in the entrance of the Cafeteria as he stared with horror in his eyes towards Cherry. Maggie cocked her head to the side to see Cherry's left side of her face, gently pulling the blood stained bandana away from Cherry's mouth to make it easier for her to breathe. Cherry's mouth was free from the bandana as she took in deep breathes of the cold air, "Put… It back on…" She managed to breathe out while a bit of slimy-bloodlike saliva dripped from her upper lip and down onto her right thigh, "You'll all… Get sick…" Cherry's eyes began to start closing as she was getting progressively more exhausted by the minute. When a familiar voice rang from the right side of her, "How long do you think she has Hershel?" Carl asked the one legged man as he stood up. There wasn't any data they could run to tell how long Cherry had left but by fast the sickness was eating away at her, he could only have guessed.  
"Maybe only a mere day and a half, she's small and fragile; making her body more vulnerable to this… Sickness." Hershel stated while helping Maggie lift Cherry up off the ground. With every movement that Cherry was put through, her body was sent with a new sense of pain; her sinuses felt congested, Cherry's lungs felt as though there was a hand wrapping around them to try and keep them shut.  
'Mom, Dad? Tami? Will I see you all soon?' Cherry thought to herself as he head fell to the side, her eyes closing as everything went black.

**Ah okay! I am so sorry for this small chapter but I have just been so tired lately... So this is just to hold you over until the 21st (Christmas Break) Because this while week I will be at school, then on the 14th I shall be going on vacation to Mexico starting on the 14th. So no updates that week sorry. I would also like to give a thanks to Princess for the review! So we're needing 9 reviews to see who gets to have their own OC added into the story! ^_^ So anyways, really sorry about the short chapter! but I have just been so tired... **


	12. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: Race Against Time**

"Hershel, I need to talk to you after you get her into the Cell Block." Rick whispered to Hershel as him and Maggie were carrying Cherry into Cell Block D. Cherry was completely out of it and really, no one knew if her fragile body would even last a day, let alone even lasting an hour. They would need a miracle if Cherry were to survive this specially since Hershel noticed while laying Cherry down onto a free bed that her breathing was very shallow, and there was a slight wheezing noise to it; like as if her lungs were getting filled with foam or mucus.  
"Daddy? Do you want me to stay in here with her?" Maggie asked when she seen how distraught her father was while looking down at the just barely breathing teenager. To Hershel, Cherry was like a female version of him; all she wanted to do was help regardless if she got sick or not, he even treated her like a daughter because… Everyone needs a dad at times.  
"No Maggie. You need to get out of this Cell Block before you get sick too, don't worry about her. If she dies… Then it happens. This virus has killed more of us then any walker or human has… It won't be any different." He stated and looked through the medical kit that was under Cherry's bed, searching through the bright orange box to find a respirator just in-case it needed to come down to such measures. Placing the respirator in the sink, Hershel searched through the box some more to find possibly anything to get this girl rehydrated again; but alas. There wasn't any IV's in the box and Hershel wasn't going to take a chance with Cherry choking on some bottled water. After closing the box and sliding it underneath the bed, Hershel walked out with his eldest daughter; closing the cell door behind the two of them, Hershel took one last good look at Cherry.

She was alive. Just barely; but still… Alive.

When Hershel and Maggie had entered back into the Cafeteria, Rick was standing over at the entrance of Cell Block C, even Carl was standing there with him. "How is she Hershel?" Carl asked sounding rather concerned; having just made a friend, he couldn't help but want to keep her around. What was that knotting feeling in his chest though?  
"She's alive but she won't be for long if she doesn't get any medication." Hershel stated as he hobbled on his prosthetic leg over to a medical cart. Searching for a least, maybe just a pill or two to bring down her fever, maybe even to just stop her from possibly having a wheezy stomach. He was desperate to get her help…  
The look on Carl's face was obvious. He cared; he wasn't some emotionless creature like he thought he was. "Can I go see her?" Carl asked sternly towards Hershel, almost like there wasn't any option of saying no. He _needed _to see her, even just one last time. Rick looked towards his son and shook his head, "Carl, you could get sick." He said, of course making a valid point.  
"Hershel's been in and out of Cell Block D since people were getting sick. I'll be in there for not even an hour." Carl, of course threw a comeback at his father; which made another valid point. Hershel _has_ been in and out of that place; he's still not sick.  
Touché.  
Rick let out a groaned and rubbed his forehead, "Fine, but you're not staying in there any longer than thirty minutes Carl. No touching her and no removing your bandana. Got it?" Rick said so that it was stern enough that Carl would actually and seemingly pay attention to him for once. The look on his son's face was something that only a parent could ever experience through their child. It looked like Carl had just witnessed both a miracle and a tragedy. Waking up on Christmas and waking up on the day of a funeral. "Go on." Rick said and patted Carl's back before he went over to Hershel, "What cell number is she is?" Carl asked his voice sounding rather like he was in a hurry.  
"Cell Room 305." Hershel responded and just as fast as Carl was there, he was gone again.

The foot-steps were echoing in the halls as Carl ran down them. **_Step Step Step Step. _**The loud sound of a iron door being opened and slammed echoed through the Cell Bock; waking most of the people up who had been sleeping in their cells. Groans were heard all about as Carl took 2 steps at a time up the staircase and towards Cherry's cell room. Just before reaching the flickering lantern that was in her room, one of the patient's hands jumped out in-front of Carl's face; trying to grab for him.  
"Help… Me…" They groaned out while Carl took in complete shock; his gun pointing at the patient, thinking that it had been a walker. Side-stepping away from the patient's arm, Carl holstered his gun and made it to Cherry's cell.

She was still just lying there but still alive.

Carl slid open the cell door, making sure that his bandana was tightly tied around his mouth and nose. Closing it behind him, Carl kneeled down to Cherry's side. "Hey… Wake up…" He whispered while looking at her fragile chest rise and fall with every wheezy breath. Carl kept his hands to himself, knowing at what his father said about touching anyone in the Cell Block. Hell he was even lucky that he got the chance to come in when he did…  
"Please, you have to wake up… You haven't even gotten to hold Baby Judith, Cherry… Don't you want to do that? I know you like babies by how you acted towards her and the piglets… So please…" Carl sniffled and looked down at his lap, feeling his tears fall down onto his pants before he moved himself and leaned towards Cherry, "Wake up…" He whispered and through his bandana; placed a small kiss on Cherry's cheek. As Carl sat back down on the floor, he stared at her chest while she was breathing. Actually making sure that she was still breathing…  
Cherry was fully awake by now, but she just didn't have the energy right now to open her eyes; she could hear everything that Carl had been saying though and could feel everything Carl had done. She wanted to so badly say something back but with every ounce of energy that she had currently… It just wasn't enough.  
_'Please don't leave just yet… Give me time.' _Cherry thought to herself, her hand beginning to twitch slightly as she tried to move one of her fingers at least. Her bones in her fingers aching when she finally was able to move her index finger, catching the eyes of Carl when he noticed movement. "Cherry?" He called out and forgot about his father's words when his hand launched out and took Cherry's small tender hand into his, "You're actually awake?" He questioned in a whispered before using his free hand to turn her head gently towards him when her eyes start to peer open.  
Carl almost broke down in tears right then when he seen Cherry's eyes once again, her blue eyes staring up at him instead of just seeing zombified eyes. _'Welcome back Beautiful.' _Carl thought to himself as he looked down at Cherry.  
"Hi." Cherry simply stated as best as she could with her shaky voice. Letting a small bit of a giggle and showing a hint of a smile.  
Her cheeks flushed with a blush when she recalled the kiss on her cheek, breaking her hand away from Carl's hand; Cherry reached up painfully, resting her hand lazily on the back of his neck. Carl raised a brow at this action, "Do you want to get up?" Carl asked and Cherry shook her head.  
"Do you want me to leave?" She shook her head again at Carl's question, "Then what is it?" He asked while cocking his head to the side in confusion. Cherry just smiled sleepily towards him, letting the weight from her arm bring Carl's head closer to her. "Just come here for a second…" She whispered as Carl smiled from the inside of his bandana, but his eyes soon widened when he felt some pressure on the outside of his bandana. Realizing what was happening, Carl moved his head away from Cherry's but not a lot of distance, if she wasn't sick… Those two would have just kissed.

**Okay sorry for the short chapter but I have just been so under the weather that I just couldn't get out of bed to write anything. So this is what I put together within the span of a day. It's a bit sloppy and I'll most likely get around to re-writing it eventually. Anyways, big thanks to TheStoryTeller231 and a OhMyGlobHaveYourselfA-Cookie award to LadyMaryMe for Following Me, Favoriting me, Favoriting two other of my stories and following another two. Sooo.. Thank you for that! Made my morning ^_^ OH! Also, I've changed from having 10 reviews to having 15 Followers/Favorites (Total) to the story. So we're literally... WE'RE HERE! x3 Anyways, so I shall be doing a contest. Starting from January 6th - January 20th; (Latest entry can be for the 21st but that's it) You can type into the Reviews this magical word so that I know you all read this. BananaMuffinCheeseyCakes and I shall tally up all the names of the people that used the ~magical~ word, picking out a random name and that person will need to PM me within the update I announce the winner to claim there spot with having their own OC character into my story~!  
**_**Well as always, stay beautiful my viewers. ;) -TectonicNom**_


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